Apparatus for a continuous transfer of semisolid material

ABSTRACT

A rocker which consists of a frame is pivoted on a support on a pivotal axis and carries a straight-line bed, which supports an elastic squeeze tube. A driven spider is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which is parallel to said pivotal axis. Squeeze rollers are rotatably mounted on said spider and revolvable thereby about said axis of rotation and adapted to act on and compress said squeeze tube. Spring means are provided which urge said frame towards said squeeze rollers.

United States Patent [191 Magerle APPARATUS FOR A CONTINUOUS TRANSFER OF SEMISOLID MATERIAL [75] Inventor: Otto Magerle, Klagenfurt, Austria [73] Assignee: Fa. Tukiem Trust, Vaduz,

Liechtenstein [22] Filed: May 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 362,235

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 25, 1972 Austria 4545/72 [52] US. Cl 417/477, 222/214 [51] Int. Cl F04b 43/12 [58] Field of Search 222/209, 214, 102; 417/477,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,635,373 7/1927 Lofholm 417/477 X Feb. 5, 1974 2,466,618 4/1949 Stocks 1.4l7/477 2,899,907 8/1959 Becher ..417/477 Primary Examiner-Stanley l-l. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-John P.- Shannon Attorney, Agent, or FirmYoung and Thompson [57] ABSTRACT A rocker which consists of a frame is pivoted on a support on a pivotal axis and carries a straight-line bed, which supports an elastic squeeze tube. A driven spider is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which is parallel to said pivotal axis. Squeeze rollers are rotatably mounted on said spider and revolvable thereby about said axis of rotation and adapted to act on and compress said squeeze tube. Spring means are provided which urge said frame towards said squeeze rollers.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEB FEB 51974 SHEET 1 BF 2 PATENTED 5974 3.790 313 sum 2 0F 2 r APPARATUS FOR A CONTINUOUS TRANSFER OF SEMISOLID MATERIAL This invention relates to an apparatus for a continuous transfer of mortar, concrete or the like by means of an elastic squeeze tube, which is supported on a straight-line bed, and of squeeze rollers, which act on said tube and are rotatably mounted on a driven rotary spider. In a known apparatus of this kind, the material is transferred in that the squeeze tube is alternatingly compressed against a flat support and released in the direction of transfer, whereby force pulses are applied to the transfer conduit and a transfer as in an artery is accomplished without need for valves. That known apparatus can be used only to handle gaseous or pulverulent materials and low-viscosity liquids whereas the apparatus cannot handle mortar, concrete or the like because these material have a considerable specific gravity. Particularly with plaster mortar in which air is entrained, the pressure which is applied to transfer the material cannot be increased because the pores formed by the entrained air must be preserved as the mortar is transferred and applied. The same difficulties are involved in a conventional mechanical transfer of plaster mortar in rigid or flexible tubes. The delicate material to be handled must be subjected only to a slight pressure, and care should be taken to see that the material being transferred is not destroyed by being disintegrated in the transfer pump. These requirements must be particularly strictly met when a volcanic igneous rock is transferred, which has been expanded by heat and is sold under the name perlite. A wall plaster comprising perlite gives an excellent heat and sound insulation but must be handled most carefully.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which is of the kind described first hereinbefore and by which even plaster mortar which comprises perlite can be transferred continuously without reducing the amount of entrained air and without destroying the mortar as it is transferred. The essential feature of the apparatus according to the invention resides in that the bedis'mounted on a rocker, which consists of a frame and is .pivotally movable on an axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the spider, and said rocker is pivotally movable by a springtowards the squeeze rollers. According to the invention, the spring consists of at least one leaf spring, the stress of which is variable by an adjusting screw.

Because the squeeze tube is resiliently forced against the squeeze rollers, the material is transferred continuously under only mild stresses. The pressure applied can be selected in view of the nature of the material to be transferred. Because the squeeze tube is forced against the squeeze rollers, the apparatus is simple in structure so as to ensure a high reliability in operation and a simple maintenance'of the apparatus.

Also in accordance with the invention, a stop bar is adjustably mounted on the frame and stop rollers are associated with said stop bar and are freely rotatably mounted on thespider and preferably coaxial to the squeeze rollers. In such an arrangement, the degree to i which the squeeze tube is compressed can be varied in a simple manner. This will prevent an excessive compression of and damage to the squeeze tube even in case of an improper control of the apparatus.

Finally, the squeeze tube is provided onthe outside with transverse ribs, and the squeeze rollers and the bed are provided with teeth in mesh with the transverse ribs.

Details of the invention will be explained more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show diagrammatically and by way of example an apparatus for a continuous transfer of mortar, concrete or the like.

FIGS. 1 and 3 are an end elevation and side elevation, respectively, showing the apparatus in one operating position.

FIGS. 2 and 4 are an end elevation and side elevation, respectively, showing the apparatus in another operating position.

A rocker consisting of a frame 2 is mounted on a base frame 1 for pivotal movement about a pivot 3. The rocker carries a bed 9 for supporting a squeeze tube 10. Leaf springs 8 are pivoted to the base frame 1 by means of brackets 5 and act from the undersideagainst the pivoted frame 2. The leaf springs 8 are secured to a metal block 7, which is pivoted in the brackets 5 and acted upon by an adjusting screw 6 so that the stress of the springs 8 can be varied. A gearmotor 13 is secured to the frame 1 by means of brackets 4 and serves to drive a spider 11, on which squeeze rollers 12 are freely rotatably mounted. The material to be transferred is charged into a trough 15 and from the latter is fed through a supply conduit 16 into the squeeze tube 10 and from the latter enters a delivery conduit 14. The supply conduit 16 and the delivery conduit 14 are connected by holders 17 to the frame 2. The squeeze tube 10 is connected by quick-connecting couplings to the supply conduit 16 and the delivery conduit 14.

During a rotation 'of the spider 11, the squeeze rollers 12 compress the transfer tube 10, as is apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4 so that a vacuum is produced to suck the material from the trough 15 into the squeeze tube 10 and to apply pressure to the material and force it into the delivery conduit. To improve the action of the squeeze rollers 12 on the squeeze tube 10, the squeeze tube is provided with transverse ribs 20, and the squeeze rollers 12 carry teeth 21. The bed 9 is also provided with teeth 22 so that the squeeze tube is held against a displacement in the direction of transfer.

To prevent an excessive compression of the squeeze tube and to facilitate 'an adjustment of theextent to which the squeeze tube is compressed, a stop bar 18 is adjustably mounted on the frame 2, and stop rollers 19 which are coaxial to the squeeze rollers 12 are associated with the stop bar' 19 and freely rotatably mounted on the spider 11.

The use of the apparatus according to the invention for a transfer affords the advantage that the crosssection of the material being transferred is only slightly changed and the pressures applied are small and do not deteriorate the material which is transferred. Besides, the wear of the apparatus according to the invention is small. This is due also to the fact that the material being transferred is slidable. The single part which is sub jected to wear is the squeeze tube 10 itself, which can easily and quickly be exchanged because it is provided with quick-action couplings. In case of a clogging, the rotation of the spider can be reversed and the material which has been transferred can be sucked back from the delivery conduit. The apparatus according to the invention can be cleaned in a simple manner in that water is charged into the trough l5 and the spider 11 is rotated in the same direction as for a transfer so that the squeeze tube and the delivery conduit 14 are flushed. Another advantage afforded by the invention resides in that the up and down motion of the squeeze tube 10 will not adversely affect the transfer operation because themoving masses are relatively small so that a disturbing vibration will be avoided.

The embodiment which is shown and has been described serves only for an explanation of the nature of the invention, which is not restricted to details.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for a continuous transfer of semisolid material, which comprises a support,

a rocker, which consists of a frame, which is pivoted on said support on a pivotal axis,

a straight-line bed carried by said rocker,

an elastic squeeze tube supported by said bed,

a driven spider mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which is parallel to said pivotal axis, squeeze rollers rotatably mounted on said spider and revolvable thereby about said axis of rotation and adapted to act on and compress said squeeze tube,

and spring means urging said frame towards said squeeze rollers.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said spring means comprise at least one leaf spring and an adjusting screw is provided for adjusting the stress of said spring.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which a stop bar is adjustably mounted on said frame and teeth in mesh with said transverse ribs. 

1. An apparatus for a continuous transfer of semisolid material, which comprises a support, a rocker, which consists of a frame, which is pivoted on said support on a pivotal axis, a straight-line bed carried by said rocker, an elastic squeeze tube supported by said bed, a driven spider mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which is parallel to said pivotal axis, squeeze rollers rotatably mounted on said spider and revolvable thereby about said axis of rotation and adapted to act on and compress said squeeze tube, and spring means urging said frame towards said squeeze rollers.
 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said spring means comprise at least one leaf spring and an adjusting screw is provided for adjusting the stress of said spring.
 3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which a stop bar is adjustably mounted on said frame and stop rollers engageable with said stop bar are rotatably mounted on said spider.
 4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, in which said stop rollers are coaxial to said squeeze rollers.
 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said squeeze tube is formed on its outside with transverse ribs and said squeeze rollers and said bed are provided with teeth in mesh with said transverse ribs. 